Automatic feed mechanism for nailing guns

ABSTRACT

A NAILING DISK AND FEED MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATIC NAILING GUNS. THE NAILING DISK IS PROVIDED IN THE FORM OF A PLATE WITH A HELICAL OR SPIRAL STRING OF NAILS INSERTED THROUGH THE PLATE AND WEAKENED PORTIONS SURROUNDING THE NAIL HEAD IN ORDER THAT THE NAIL AND SURROUNDING MATERIAL MAY BE PUNCHED OUT FROM THE NAILING DISK IN THE NAILING OPERATION. THE FEED MCHANISM SUPPORTS THE NAILING DISK AND FEEDS THE HELICAL STRING OF NAILS IN SEQUENCE TO A DRIVING TUBE WITH MEANS FOR ADVANCING THE NAILING DISK THROUGH A SPRING HOUSING AND RATCHET ARRANGEMENT TO PROVIDE FOR AUTOMATIC FEEDING AND ADVANCEMENT OF THE NEXT NAIL AFTER THE DRIVING OPERATION.

May23, 1972 RH L 3,664,565

AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR NAILINGJEUNS Original Filegi April 5, 19672 Sheets-Sheet l MIVENTOR: 6E0 R65 P. HL-IL MAN,

May 23, 1972 I Q L N AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR NAILING GUNS OriginalFiled April 3, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 46 36 o v q O HIVEA/TO 6E'OR6E p.HEILM QTToRNfY United States Patent Ofice Patented May 23, 19723,664,565 AUTOMATIC FEED MECHANISM FOR NAILING GUNS George P. Heilman,New York, N.Y., assignor to General Wire Overseas Corporation, St.Louis, Mo. Original application Apr. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 627,952, nowPatent No. 3,506,115, dated Apr. 14, 1970. Divided and this applicationApr. 13, 1970, Ser. No. 48,704

Int. Cl. B25c 1/00 US. Cl. 227-437 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA nailing disk and feed mechanism for pneumatic nailing guns. Thenailing disk is provided in the form of a plate with a helical or spiralstring of nails inserted.

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a division of my copendingapplication, Ser. No. 627,952, filed Apr. 3, 1967 now US. Pat. 3,506,115granted Apr. 14, 1970.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the past nailing guns have been providedwhich have generally used nailing strips of various lengths in which thestrips of nails are arranged in a straight line and fed into the nailinggun. The nailing guns may be of one type or another, hydraulically orpneumatically operated, and operate in the usual fashion by forcefullydriving a driver against the nail head to drive the nail into a workpiece in various types of carpentry operations. Previously known nailingdevices have been subject to the objection and inconvenience ofrequiring new strips of nails, which are limited in size, due to theirstraight line positioning and reinsertion of the nailing strips as onestrip is used up, has been required, or in the alternative, the straightline strip may be coiled or fed out from an apparatus that is eithercomplicated or bulky in size. It is a feature of this invention that thenailing disk of a fiat plate-like nature in which the nails are arrangedin the form of a helix in the plane of the disk has been provided tosave space and provide efliciency and simplicity and ease in operationin the nailing mechanism employed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a nailing plate inwhich the nails are in a helical string perpendicular to the plane ofthe disk. This arrangement of the nailing disk provides for spaceeconomy and ease in handling a unit of varying number of nails, whichcan be anywhere up to one hundred and even many more in number on asingle nailing disk. The helical coil of nails is arranged much as inthe fashion of a coiled string with each nail being separated from theadjacent nail in the string by a weakened border portion in thesupporting disk around it. In this fashion the nail can bepunched outfrom the disk around the area of the weakened portion, and thesurrounding portion of the disk, as in the nature of a collar or thelike, is separated from the disk when the nail is driven.

The nailing disk is provided with a feed mechanism, which is designedfor connection with any available type of nailing gun. The gun portionforms no part of this invention and it will be understood that variousconventional pneumatic or hydraulic nailing guns may be employed. Evenspring loaded guns may be utilized. The disk feeding mechanism providesmeans for supporting the nailing disk underneath a spring housing andsupport device. The spring housing is provided with a ratchet and pawlarrangement whereby the housing may be wound up when the nailing disk isconnected to the feed mechanism. This provides for automatic feeding ofthe nailing disk and rotation of the disk as each succeeding nail isdriven to advance the next nail into a driving position in a nailing ordrive tube device. In this manner the next nail to be driven is advancedunderneath and in registry with the usual reciprocable nailing hammer inthe driving tube. The next nailing portion of the disk abuts against aninner stop surface of the driving tube and is held in biased relationagainst it until the driving operation is performed. After the drivingoperation is performed, and the reciprocable hammer is withdrawn abovethe nailing disk, the spring loaded feed advancing mechanism causes thenailing disk to rotate and advance the next nail to be driven into thenailing tube where it abuts against the stop surface to present the nextnail in registry with the reciprocable nailing hammer.

In the operation, the center of the nailing disk, which is supportedupon a shaft, moves toward the nailing tube by provision of a slottedguide arrangement in the support device. This guide arrangement providesfor advancing the nailing disk in the proper feeding relation.

The above features are objects of this invention and further objectswill appear in the detailed description which follows and will beotherwise apparent to those skilled in the art.

For the purpose of illustration of this invention there is shown in theaccompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof. It is to beunderstood that this example is for the purpose of illustration only andthat the invention is not limited thereto.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the nailing disk feed mechanism of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation taken from the bottom of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the nailing disk and feed mechanism;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 2;

FllICzi. 8 is an enlarged view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 9 is a topplan view of the nailing disk and feed mechanism taken similarly to FIG.1 but on a reduced scale showing the relation of the nailing disk andthe feed mechanism at a later stage in operation as some of the nailshave been used reducing the size of the nailing disk;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the nailing disk before the nails areinserted;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view in section taken on the line 11-11 of FIG.10;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken similarly to FIG. 11 but showing thenails inserted in the disk;

FIG. 13 is a view in side elevation of the pawl biasing spring;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the spring;

FIG. 15 is a view in elevation taken from the rear of the guide and disksupport tube;

FIG. 16 is a view taken from the right side of the guide and supporttube;

FIG. 17 is a view in section taken on the line 17--17 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a view in elevation taken from the right side of the naildriving tube;

FIG. 19 is a view taken from the rear of the nail driving tube;

FIG. 20 is a view in section taken on the line 2020 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is a bottom plan view of the spring housing; and

FIG. 22 is a bottom plan view of the spring housing plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, thenailing disk of this invention is generally identified by the referencenumeral 30 in FIG. 1 and the feed mechanism is identified by thereference numeral 32. The feed mechanism is connected to a guide sleeve34, which it will be understood may be connected in any fashion to aconventional nailing gun actuating mechanism. The guide sleeve in turnis provided with a drive tube guide 36. A conventional driving arm,which is in the form of the usual reciprocable hammer element 38 isshown at the top of the driving tube in FIG. 4.

The nailing disk 30 is shown in fuller detail in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12. Asthere shown, it is of generally planiform construction having anirregular keyway slotted opening 40 at the center with two dependingstud elements 42 to provide for guide relationship, and a reinforcedmeans to prevent damage to the disk. The nailing disk, which may be madeof cardboard, plastic, light metal, or other conventional material ofconstruction, is fabricated or cast to provide separate raised areas 44,which each receive an individual nail as shown in FIG. 12. The grooves46, which run helically on the top surface of the disk, define oneboundary of the separate nailing area 44, while the series of generallyradial groves 48 define the other sides of the raised nailing areas.Each of the raised nailing areas 44 is provided with an opening 50 toreceive a nail 52, as shown in FIG. 12. These openings aid the insertionof the nails, although it will be understood that the nails may besimply punched through the centers of each of the nail receiving areas.

The automatic feed mechanism 32 is best shown in FIGS. 4 through 9. Anadjustment bracket 56 is welded to the guide sleeve 34 and from it theother elements are supported. The bracket 56 is provided with a slottedopening 58, which receives a disk support shaft 60. The shaft 60 has anirregular enlarged head 62 which receives the mating slotted opening 40of the nailing disk. The shaft 60 further passes through the adjustablebracket, and by means of a washer 64 and a handle 66, is connected tothe bracket in sliding relation. The handle 66 is threaded on to athreaded end portion of the shaft 60 to provide for the connectionaforedescribed.

A spring housing mechanism, generally indicated by the reference numeral70, is supported from the adjustable bracket 56. The spring housing 70is of generally sleeve-like configuration as shown in FIGS. 4 and 21,and is provided with an inwardly extending flange 72. This inwardlyextending flange bears upon the support plate 74, which is supported tothe adjustment bracket by means of bolts 76 as shown in FIGS. and 6. Aratchet plate 78, provided with a slotted opening 80 in registry withthe slotted opening 82 in the support plate, is positioned on top of thesupport plate and connected thereto by bolts 83.

The windup relation is provided for the spring housing 70 through pawls84, which are pivoted through pins 86,

connecting to the flange 72 of the spring housing. The pawls rest on topof the flange and mate with the teeth of the ratchet plate 78. Pawlbiasing springs 87 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 urge the pawls intoengagement with the ratchet plate. A spring coil 88 is connected at oneend to the shaft 60, as best shown in FIG. 8, and at an opposite end tothe vertical wall of the spring housing through an opening 90 in thewall as best shown in FIG. 4.

The nail driving tube 36 is best shown in FIGS. 18, 19 and 20. As thereshown, it is of generally tubular construction of a rectangular crosssection. It has a cut out portion 92, which receives the end portion ofthe next nail unit to be advanced into registry in the nail drivingtube. A slot 93 is provided to receive the shank of the nail. A wallsurface 94 acts as a stop surface in the nail driving tube so that theend surface 96 of the nailing disk shown in FIG. 10 abuts against thiswall surface and cannot be advanced further. In this fashion the nailunit 98, likewise shown in FIG. 10, is presented in registry underneaththe reciprocable hammer in the nail driving tube. The nail driving tubewhich acts as a nose-piece and is positionable upon the work surface,may be adjusted relative to the guide sleeve by means of a friction fitor other adjustment means to accommodate different sizes of nails.

The guide sleeve 34 is best shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 1517. As thereshown, it is of generally rectangular cross section to receive the naildriving tube 36. The guide sleeve has a cut out portion generallyindicated by the reference numeral 100, which receives the end of thenailing disk as shown in FIG. 4. A struck out lip portion 102 extends toone side of the guide sleeve and serves as a rest for the nailing diskto provide for proper alignment in the feeding relationship.

OPERATION The nailing disk of this invention is very simply adapted foruse with the automatic feed mechanism. It will be understood that theautomatic feed mechanism can be connected to any conventional type ofnailing gun using a reciprocable rod-like driving arm or hammer whichoperates within the usual nailing gun bore. Examples of suchconventional nailing guns that can be employed are shown in Haley Pats.Nos. 2,867,086 and 3,150,488.

The automatic feed mechanism is first prepared for operation byinserting the nailing disk upon the shaft 60 by threading the keyed slot40 into and upon the parallel side head 62 of the shaft 60. The springhousing is then wound by turning it in a clockwise direction as viewedin FIG. 1. The abutment of the nailing disk end 96 with the guide sleeveprevents the support shaft from turning. The lateral edge of the nailingdisk is supported upon the rest 102 of the guide support 34, as shown inFIG. 4, and the edge 96 of the nailing disk is biased against the stopsurface 94 of the nail driving tube.

In this position the nailing disk is then ready for use and a nailingunit 98 of the disk is ready to be separated upon the operation of thenailing gun. When the nailing gun operates, the reciprocable hammer 38shown in FIG.

4 will tear off the unit 98 with the centered nail 52 by severing thenail supporting material around the weakened or grooved area. In thenail driving operation, the ham mer 38 serves as a stop surface toprevent the nailing disk from feeding a fresh nail to the nail drivingtube. When, however, it is fully retracted to the position shown in FIG.4, the nailing disk will be automatically moved by the biasing force ofthe spring to move the next nailing area with the centered nail into thenail driving tube and in abutment against the stop surface 94 of thetube.

The operation previously described is repeated in the nail drivingoperation as successive nails are driven. After each nail drivingoperation, a new nail unit is presented to the nail driving tube. As thedisk is used up it advances with the center of the nailing disk and theshaft 60, which supports the disk, from the position shown in FIG. 1 tothe position generally shown in FIG. 9. Thus, the shaft moves in theslotted areas provided in the adjustment bracket ratchet plate andsupport plate in order to effect a guided relation.

When the last nail has been used up, the nailing disk is disengaged anda new disk is inserted through the operation as previously described.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be madewithin this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art. Thus it will be understood that for purpose of example theinvention has been described with respect to the use of nails but itwill be appreciated that staples, studs, spikes and other fasteners areincluded within the scope of this invention. Such changes andmodifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention asdefined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a nail feeding mechanism for, nailing guns, the improvementcharacterized by means for supporting a nail disk having nails alignedin the form of a helix, a nail driving guide sleeve having meansreceiving an outer portion of the disk with a nail in registry with anail driving element in said guide sleeve, and means for advancing saidnail disk after each nail driving operation in a compound movement tomove the center of the disk closer to the guide sleeve and partiallyrotate said disk.

2. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 1 in which the means foradvancing the nail disk is provided with means for rotating the diskabout an axis parallel to the nail driving guide sleeve and advance thenail disk into registry with the nail driving guide sleeve after eachdriving operation.

3. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 1 in which the means foradvancing the nail disk is provided with means for moving the nail diskfrom a position to one side of the nail driving guide sleeve toward saidguide sleeve as nails are driven from said disk.

4. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 1 in which the means foradvancing the nail disk is provided with means for rotating it about anaxis parallel to the nail driving guide sleeve and means for moving thenail disk from a position to one side of the nail driving guide sleevetoward said guide sleeve as nails are driven from said disk.

5. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 4 in which the support meanscomprises a housing rotatably supported from a bracket connected to thenail driving guide sleeve, a support shaft passing through slot means inthe housing and bracket, said support shaft supporting the nail disk.

6. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 4 in which the support meanscomprises a housing rotatably supported from a bracket connected to thenail driving guide sleeve, a support shaft passing through slot means inthe housing and bracket, said support shaft supporting the nail disk andsaid means for rotating and moving the nail disk including spring meansbiasing the support shaft toward rotatable movement in the slot meanstoward the nail driving guide sleeve.

7. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 6 in which the spring means is ahelical spring attached at one end to the support shaft and at anopposite end to the housing.

8. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 7 in which ratchet and pawl meansare provided for cooperative relation between the housing and thebracket for winding said spring means.

9. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 5 in which the support shaft hasan enlarged irregular head adapted to mate with an irregular opening inthe center of said nail disk and reinforced means on one side of saiddisk adapted to bear against the head.

10. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 9 in which the support shaft hasa reduced size above said head receiving the nail disk, said nail diskhaving an irregular opening cooperating with the irregular head andsupportable thereon upon rotation with respect to said shaft.

11. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 1 in which the nail drivingguide sleeve has an opening receiving the disk and stop means areprovided preventing further movement of said disk.

12. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 1 in which the nail drivingguide sleeve has an opening receiving the disk and stop means areprovided preventing further movement of said disk, and said guide sleeveis further provided with a rest means supporting the under portion ofsaid disk.

13. A nail feeding mechanism for nailing guns, said mechanism includingmeans for supporting a nail disk having nails aligned in the form of ahelix, a nail driving guide sleeve having means receiving an outerportion of the disk with a nail in registry with a nail driving elementin said guide sleeve, and means for advancing said nail disk after eachnail driving operation, said disk supporting said nails perpendicularlyfrom said disk and aligned in the form of a helix, each of said nailsbeing supported by a shearable boundary in order that the nails may bepunched out in sequence with a supporting area of the disk.

14. The nail feeding mechanism of claim 13 in which the nails arearranged in a helix of a plurality of revolutions, the shearableboundary is defined by generally concentric inner and outer pathsbounded by generally radial end paths, the nails in each adjacentrevolution having a common generally concentric shearable path servingas an outer boundary for the innermost revolution and an inner boundaryfor the outermost revolution.

15. The nail driving disk of claim 14 in which the support means for thenail disk is provided with means for rotating it about an axis parallelto the nail driving guide sleeve and advance the nail disk into registrywith the nail driving guide sleeve after each driving operation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 394,604 12/1888 Patten 227137 X3,374,934 3/1968 Dickson 227136 X FOREIGN PATENTS 131,605 8/1949 Sweden.

GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, IR., Primary Examiner

